Category Personal Memories

Terry Edwinsmith The dreaded marble in the first call up came to me in 1965 whilst I was at college but I deferred to 7th intake after completing KGTT College and 12 months teacher placement (at Milton SS). This new…

Hello Terry, My father served in PNG in RAAF Beaufighter 30 Sqn in World War II, so it was a bit of a coincidence that I was posted to Port Moresby as a RAAEC T-Sgt during my period of National…

by Boddington, Richard (Sgt), Murray Barracks, Port Moresby 1971-1972 My memory is a tad vague on some aspects of my Chalkie history while others are as clear as yesterday. So I do not remember exactly when I received my call-up…

John Retallick (1968-69) After a stint of teaching in a small school in NSW, I entered National Service in January 1966 and arrived at 1 RTB Kapooka as a raw and nervous recruit. In a few weeks I was lucky…

Phil Adam (1969-70) The smell! What a shock it was to jump down from the back of the RAAF Hercules to be met by the heat and the unmistakable smell of rotting vegetation. Greg Ivey and I had finally arrived…

Frank Cordingley’s experience in PNG Jun 67 – Nov 68 I was in the 7th national service intake in February 1967, having turned 20 the previous October. I had been teaching junior maths and science for one year at Clermont…